Wonderland
by MorningDove24
Summary: "Would you like to dance?" He said as he took her hand and led her to the middle of the patio.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: The author of this fan fiction does not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to their original creators.**

**Enjoy!**

Andy stood on the sidelines and watched Frank and Noelle bop around the dance floor to the beat of the music. Noelle smiled and laughed, along with everyone else, as Frank struck a 70's John Travolta 'Saturday Night Fever' pose. It was good to see Noelle this happy, especially when she almost became the 'runaway bride'.

_"Thank God Traci was able to locate our bride and convince her to go through with the wedding." Andy thought as she gave a soft smile._

"Would you like to dance?" Chris asked as he strolled up beside Andy.

"I would love to." She replied as Chris smiled, took her hand, and led her to the centre of the dance floor as the next song began to play.

"I'm glad you came back for the wedding. I've missed you Chris."

"To tell you the truth I've missed all of you as well."

"How is policing in Timmons?"

"It's...it's...different. Quiet! You know? Not as fast pace. Denise is happy."

"How are things with you Andy?"

"They're good. I mean...I'm still adjusting to being back in uniform. It's going...good."

"I'm surprised you're not dancing with Sam!"

"Sam? Why would I be dancing with Sam?"

"Sorry, I thought the two of you were back together."

"No!?" Andy replied with a puzzled look on her face.

"I just...he's been looking at you all day. I assumed you were back together. I mean I haven't seen the two of you together, but I thought it was because he was part of the wedding party and till now was busy with 'Best Man' duties. I'm sorry Andy."

_"Watching me! Why? He's here with Marlo."_

"It's okay! Sam's moved on with Marlo. It's over. I've accepted the fact."

"Well, if you ask me...I think Sam's an idiot."

Andy smiled, "Thanks Chris."

A few more spins around the dance floor with Chris and Andy once again found herself standing on the sidelines.

_"I think it is time for a glass of wine." She thought as she turned and strolled up to the bar._

With her glass of wine in hand Andy weaved her way through the crowd. Standing alone a moment, near the reception hall doorway, she felt as if someone was watching her. Glancing around she saw both Gail and Sam avert their eyes from her direction. Feeling unnerved she slipped out of the reception hall, down a flight of stairs, through a doorway, on to a large outside patio. She walked over to the railing surrounding the patio, closed her eyes and breathed in a lung full of the cool evening air. It felt good and helped to release the tension her body felt.

"Taking a break from the crowd?' A voice, to her right, questioned.

Andy smiled as she turned to greet Nick.

"Yea...you could say that...I mean...I was enjoying the party, but..."

"You needed a break."

"Yea...I did."

"The crowd and the music starting to become too much?" Nick said as he stood in front of Andy.

Andy nodded. "I can still hear the music and crowd; it's just quieter and more relaxing out here."

"We can talk without shouting at each other."

"Yea, we can." Andy replied with a giggle.

_"Finally an opportunity to actually speak with Andy. There was so much chaos going on with the wedding and then the reception I couldn't get anywhere near her to even say hello. I can't believe I made it through dinner without excusing myself from the table and the hall. I can't believe Noelle didn't change her seating arrangement. She left me sitting right beside Gail to eat dinner. How hard is it to shuffle a couple of people around? The break-up was over a month ago which, in my opinion, gave Noelle plenty of time to change her seating plan. At least Andy was at a different table. She still doesn't know part of the reason for the break-up was...well...my feelings for...Lord she looks beautiful this evening."_

"You look beautiful Andy."

_"Beautiful...she looks amazing. That dress hugs every curve perfectly. The front black bands or bows...whatever...it makes her look like a gift just waiting for someone to unwrap."_

"Thanks! You clean up good yourself."

"Oh...listen..." Andy said in a soft faraway voice as a few notes of a new slower tempo song began to play.

She closed her eyes and began to sway with the melody a moment.

Nick placed his drink on the ledge of the patio's railing, reached over and took Andy's drink out of her hand and placed it beside his beverage.

"Would you like to dance?" He said as he took her hand and led her to the middle of the patio.

'I would love too." Andy replied as she wrapped an arm around Nick's shoulders.

Nick smiled as he slid his one arm around her waist and gently pulled her towards him as he brought their clasped hands up into a dance pose.

"This song...I remember it from when I was a little girl. My mom always turned the radio up when it was playing." Andy said quietly as her and Nick began to sway to the melody.

"I have a distant memory of this tune."

"It's from a movie. I know the song is 'Kokomo'. I think the band is 'Beach...something or other'." Andy replied.

Nick smiled as he released his arm from around Andy's waist and twirled her around.

"I miss making omelettes, in the mornings for you Andy." Nick said as he drew her back towards his body.

"I miss eating your omelettes in the morning. I know you make me one sometimes and bring it into work for lunch but, it's not the same as when we were undercover."

"I know what you mean. It's not the same cooking two, eating one alone, and then wrapping the other up in tinfoil to give you later."

"I miss going for 5 km runs with you every other morning. I still go. Sometimes with Traci but, it's not the same."

"I miss..." They both said at the same time.

"I miss...watching..." Andy said.

"Watching foreign movies with no sound and dubbing in our own dialogue." Nick finished.

"How did you know what I was going to say?"

"It's the one thing I know you really enjoyed doing together when we were under. You were like a little kid in a candy store when we played. Your whole body reacted with excitement."

Andy gave him one of her brilliant, light up the room, smiles as he twirled her around one more time to the music. It was the first time he had seen her truly smile since their return to 'real life'.

Nick once again brought Andy towards his body. Only this time he wrapped both arms around her waist as she, as if on queue, wrapped both of her arms around his shoulders. He could smell her vanilla shampoo, her Elizabeth Arden 'Bluegrass' deodorant and the light scent of her Victoria's Secret 'Noir' body mist. He swore he could smell her sometimes even when she wasn't around.

As the song came to a close the partners silently continued to sway.

"I miss you Andy." Nick whispered a few moments later as he slowly dipped his head, closing the gap between them and pressing a small gentle kiss on her lips.

It was him trying to tell Andy how he felt. He was letting her know he was ready for more than a friendship.

Andy knew he was going to kiss her as soon as he said, "I miss you.". She could see it in his eyes. Her heart raced when the emotions of all the undercover kisses they shared flooded her soul as Nick dipped his head and pressed his soft warm lips against her lips. It felt so right, so natural that Andy responded. After all, they were both single now. Four more small kisses later the partners pulled slightly apart, smiled, and began to sway to the next song coming from the reception.

Locked in their own private world neither felt nor noticed the three sets of eyes watching.

**Hope you enjoyed reading. Would you like to read a second chapter ?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank-you to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favored this story. I found it overwhelming. Here is Chapter 2. Enjoy!**

Gail found herself sitting in the coat closet, of the country club, nursing a glass of champagne.

_'I should go home. I can't yet. It's far too early to graciously say good-bye to the 'Happy Couple'. "She thought._

Her life was a shambles.

Traci told her that afternoon Noelle didn't readjust the seating arrangement. Apparently Noelle had been having some sort of melt down for the last month. Nash told her to see it as a good way for she and Nick to talk and work out their issues.

"He isn't going to cause a scene during the wedding dinner. Take the opportunity to talk to Nick." Nash said with a smile.

"You and Collins are good together." She added.

_"Yea! News flash Nash! We were good together. The operative word being 'were'."_

_"Why did I let jealousy...? He hadn't even acted on his feelings for Andy. He was committed to us and tried to make everything work. Andy...she...she seemed...well until tonight seemed oblivious to Nick's feelings. Nick did hide his 'crush' for Andy well. I think she thought they were just friends. I don't blame her. I mean for the last few weeks she's been too busy nursing a broken heart courtesy of Swarek...again! That guy is an idiot. He couldn't even figure out why Andy took that undercover assignment and simply wait for her to return. I doubt Andy's been emotionally capable, the last few weeks, of noticing Nick's 'crush'. I let jealousy take hold of my soul. It blinded my judgement and allowed revenge to bubble through my veins. I was an idiot."_

Today during the wedding dinner she did try to talk to Nick. He graciously responded to her neutral chit chatter. Mind you it was with simple one word responses but, it was a start she mused. She actually thought they were getting somewhere when the dancing started and he brought her a glass of wine. The thing was when she turned around a moment to watch the action on the dance floor he disappeared. She spent the next hour and a half trying to keep a tab on his location.

_"When the opportunity presents itself I'll bump into him and try to start a conversation." She thought._

That was until she realized he was moving around trying to keep Andy in his sights.

_"Okay! That is just a 'crush'. Andy hasn't even figured it out for Heaven's sakes. We can work through that issue. It's not like he has acted on those feelings. Dear God...why did I sleep with...why did he agree to leave with me that night? He is or was Nick and Andy's handler. Why didn't he have more respect for Nick? He knew I was Nick's girlfriend and I was in a bad 'place' that evening. Why didn't he just buy me a drink, talk to me and then give me a ride home. Okay...Nick doesn't know who it was I slept with...we can deal with that whole issue. I can tell him it was a one night stand with someone he doesn't know."_

She took her eyes off Nick for a few moments when Holly, the pathologist woman she worked with a couple of weeks past, came over to say 'hello'.

_"Great!" She thought as she glanced around the room moments later._

_"Where did he go?"_

_"I'm not going to find him standing in the middle of this crowd. Um...okay!...If I stand over by those huge bay windows, near the bar, I can scan the entire room." She thought as she began to weave her way through the crowd._

Standing against one of the large bay windows, Gail scanned the crowd.

_"Maybe he went to the washroom." She thought as she turned around, parted two of the cream coloured sheer drape panels covering the bay windows and looked out on the country club's patio and gardens below._

A huge emotional train came crashing into her chest as she watched Nick twirl Andy around the patio and then place a kiss on her friend's lips. The pain was worse than the evening her and Nick broke up. Given some time and space she had felt, until now, there was still a chance for them to work everything out. Now, now she realized...after seven years...

Nick Collins, the 'Love of Her Life', was lost to her forever. He is was moving on. Her actions pushed him right into Andy's arms.

Now she was sitting in the coat room nursing her broken heart with a glass of champagne.

Oliver Shaw was living the life of a 'whirlwind'.

One morning a few weeks ago he packed his bags, moved out of the matrimonial home he shared with his wife Zoe for the past 19 years, and filed for divorce. It was a day of mixed emotions. Admitting his wife was in love with another man meant he was admitting he was incapable of still captivating his wife's total world. He was a failure as her lover. He never once questioned Zoe's love. Twenty years ago he purchased a ring and planned to ask Zoe to marry him when she told him she was pregnant. He gave her the diamond ring he bought and told her it was fine. He was in love with her and they could marry the next day. They put together a small wedding and married a month later. He thought everything was great. They went on and made two more beautiful children together. Zoe seemed content with their life. The problem was he loved her, but she was never truly in love with him. It's why it was so easy for her to stray away from her marriage when she did meet her 'Mr. Right'. In one way Oliver felt heartache and pain. He was in love with Zoe. He may have been the one who moved out and filed for divorce but, he was the one who felt the pain and heartache of the break-up. At the same time Oliver felt a strange relief and calmness for admitting everything to himself, to his daughters and for taking action to allow them all to move forward with their lives. Zoe didn't share the same painful emotions as Oliver. She was just happy and relieved her charade of a marriage was finally over. She was now free to live her life with the man she loved.

Which brings him to this evening. Somehow, over the last few weeks as he went about his life trying to sort through his emotions and legal issues stemming from the divorce he, Oliver Shaw, managed to meet a woman. Which lead to him attending Noelle and Frank's wedding with a date on his arm? A date! Wow! He, Oliver Shaw, was attending a wedding with another woman and enjoying himself more than he had in years.

He kept his eye on Andy throughout the day. She was his favourite rookie. He tended to have a soft spot for her in his heart. He met her, for the first time, many years ago when she was a small girl. Her dad, one of his training officers, sometimes brought her into the station. If he was at the station, at the same time, he would always buy her an ice-cream cone. Then when she grew up and became his rookie he couldn't help noticing the similarities between her and his eldest daughter. Sure Maddie was a bit younger but, the look, the mannerisms, and the reaction to situations...they were all the same. Which is why he felt so much for her both times Sam broke her heart. She was the best thing to ever happen to Sam and he...

_"Sam you're an idiot._ _It's so obvious why Andy left, all those months ago, to do that undercover assignment._ _I just hope you wake up soon and realize the real reason and what you are giving up." He thought._

Standing beside the bay windows at the end of the bar, waiting for his and his dates drink order, Oliver glanced out through a small part between two of the sheer drape panels. It was not the gardens, of the country club, that caught his attention. It was the two figures dancing and kissing on the back patio.

_'Maybe it is too late Sammy...maybe it is too late. You're an idiot my friend." He thought as he picked up his drinks and walked over to his date._

Chris Diaz sat at a dining table drinking a beer and watching his friends on the dance floor. If truth were known life in Timmons was...it was worse than what he expected. It is true what they say. You can't ever really go home. The cops he was working with were friendly, welcoming and serious about policing. Unfortunately the most exciting things he found himself dealing with since arriving in Timmons was a drunk driver who drove his car off a dock into two feet of water, a noise complaint which was actually a group of neighbours setting off some fireworks on Canada Day and a break and enter which turned out was a group of local teens who broke into a community pool for a midnight swim.

_"Things were dull. No! Scratch that...they were boring and he was miserable."_

The longer he sat and watched his friends dance and party the more he wished he was still part of their daily lives. When he saw Andy standing alone on the sidelines of the dance floor he took the opportunity to ask her to dance. Bopping around the dance floor with everyone made him, for a few moments, believe he never left. He was still a member of the band. He was still part of the life he loved. Then the music stopped for a moment and Andy excused herself from the dancing. Suddenly, he was back to the misery of reality.

_"How could I let this happen?" he thought as Chloe and Dov came over and sat down at his table in a wave of smiles and laughter._

"Okay! What does everyone want to drink?" Dov asked.

"Tequila!" Chloe yelled above the music.

"NO! We agreed! No hard stuff till near the end of the evening. Pick something else!"

"Ohhhh...okay, okay...I'll have a glass of white wine."

"One glass of wine and what are you having Chris?"

"I'll have another beer. I'll go with you to the bar and help."

"Sure! Chloe save our seats. We'll be back in a few minutes."

"Okay!" She replied as she bopped in her chair to the music.

At the bar Dov and Chris placed their order.

"It's nice to see you again.. I'm glad you decided to come down for the wedding."

"Yea! I am too."

"I saw you dancing with Andy."

"I saw her on the sidelines of the dance floor. She looked like she really wanted to dance. I thought she was back together with Swarek. I mean he's been watching her all evening."

"I don't know what Swarek is doing when it comes to Andy. She's...I think she is trying to move forward." Dov replied.

"Swarek is an immature idiot. I don't think he will ever figure out the real reason Andy took the undercover assignment." Chris replied.

"He's a good cop but, he's immature when it comes to his personal relationships. You know...he keeps throwing him and Cruz into Andy's face. I have to admit she has handled everything, for the most part, with maturity and grace."

"Okay guys...one glass of white wine and one pint of 'Canadian'. I'll be right back with the pint of 'Coor's Light'."

"I'll take my beer and Chloe's glass of wine over to the table. Come over and join us when your drink arrives." Dov said as he turned and headed towards Chloe's direction.

A moment later Chris took his drink from the bar keep, turned around to go join his friends but, somehow became trapped against the full length windows along the back of the reception hall by a few guests.

Waiting for everyone to move along he glanced out through the sheer drapes and nearly choked on a sip of his beer.

_"How much has changed since I've been gone? Andy! Nick! Together! What happened with Nick and Gail? Everything has changed. Everyone is moving forward and I'm moving backwards. Welcome to Wonderland Diaz. I can't keep living the life I have now. I have to make some changes. I want back in the band." He thought as he turned around and began to weave his way throw the crowd._

**On the Patio**

"I'm sorry!" Nick whispered after their last kiss.

"Don't be sorry. I kissed you back." She whispered as they continued to sway to the music.

"You did." He whispered in her ear as he drew her closer.

"I love weddings. They're magical. They're about two people who are so completely devoted, so in love with each other they are willing to do anything for one another."

"It's how I feel about you." Nick replied.

"Andy...I don't know when I fell for you. It just happened. I...look...I know it's..."

"Shhhh..." Andy whispered as she placed a finger over Nick's lips.

'I knew a few days ago we were heading in this direction. It's just...I need to know...was I the reason you and Gail broke up?"

"No...I mean...she figured out I have feelings for you but, I told her nothing ever happened between us. The truth is we broke up because Gail slept with someone else."

Andy studied Nick's face a moment before quietly replying, "If we are going to do this then we have to move slow. Nick, I don't think I can jump right into..."

"Us?"

"Yea...I...I don't want to lose...you're my best friend Nick. What we have now, I don't want to...I can't lose. I need what you and I have in my life."

"We have all the time in the world and slow right now...it sounds good." Nick replied with a smile.

Andy smiled softly as she nodded her head and they continued to sway with the music.

Eventually they rejoined the party and at the end of the evening Nick offered to drive her home. She accepted. In the parking lot Nick held the truck's passenger door open for Andy to slide in before walking around to the driver's side, opening the door and climbing into the truck. They drove out of the country club's parking lot chatting and smiling at each other.

Neither noticing the set of eyes watching their every movement.

**Hope everyone enjoyed reading. Would you like to read a third chapter?  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank-you to everyone who reviewed, favored and followed this story. I'm sorry I didn't update earlier. I work part-time as a bartender at a private Golf and Country Club. Usually I work two days a week. Last week, due to short staff, I ended up being called in to work extra shifts. I worked 10 hours a day for 4 days in a row. Even though I plotted everything out I was too tired to write. I apologize. Please enjoy this chapter.**

Sam stood at the bar and watched as Andy bopped around the dance floor with Diaz.

_"If you're lucky I may save you a dance." He smiled to himself as he remembered their conversation from earlier in the day._

His gaze followed her every fluid movement on the dance floor.

"It would be so simple to walk over to the DJ and request a slower song. It would be so simple to walk over and ask her to dance with him to his song request."

Silently he watched as she and Diaz finished dancing and walked off the dance floor to chat for a few moments on the sidelines. His eyes followed as she parted ways with Diaz and navigated her way through the crowd to the bar. He noticed every single sway of her hips as she slowly returned to the sidelines of the dance floor with her glass of wine. I moment later he downed the rest of his drink and walked over to speak with the DJ. Unfortunately, when he turned around again she was nowhere in sight.

When he finally located her his song request 'Kokomo' had finished playing. He never did get his dance. She spent the rest of the evening talking to Collins and eventually dancing the last slow song, of the evening, with her UC partner.

**Two weeks later**

For some reason, over the last two weeks, he could not get the image of Nick and Andy dancing together out of his head. There was something different with the two of them that evening. Actually there was something different with them lately.

_Three weeks ago Sam knew...well he knew he was in turmoil. He thought simple was the best choice. His childhood was complicated. His adolescence was complicated. His adulthood was not complicated. Thanks to a cop he met named __Charlie Walsh. The guy was rough around the edges, much like Sam's dad, but unlike his father Charlie was pleasant, calm, understanding, fair and as Sam would soon learn 'simple'. Charlie lived every aspect of his life 'simple'. __He didn't express his feelings, he didn't discuss how he felt and he didn't involve himself with women who wanted needy emotional relationships. They are up, they're down, they laugh, they cry, they're a complicated mess and Charlie felt they would take him down. __The concept fascinated Sam and so he reinvented his life. Everything was much easier when you live your life 'simple' he felt. __Six years ago he thought he had met the perfect girl in Monica. It turned out he was wrong. He broke things off with her, but she didn't take the break-up well. She kept calling and leaving messages. Well the 'simple' solution to his problem was to take a long-term UC assignment. It worked. By the time he returned to his 'real life' Monica was no longer a problem. He returned to 'real life' and was living his 'simple' life perfectly fine until Andy ended things with Callaghan. She was now available. He thought he could handle her single status. After all Andy was not 'his type'. She was complicated. When he almost kissed her at that crime scene he knew he was in trouble. She was not 'his type'. The 'simple' solution was to take another long-term UC assignment. It didn't turn out well. When he returned he decided, against his better judgement and tried to have a relationship with Andy. He was unsure of the relationship and never fully immersed himself. Then Jerry died. All the emotions, feelings...it was too complicated. His system shut down. He thought the 'simple' solution was to break everything off with Andy. It would 'fix' him. It would 'fix' how he felt. It didn't work. Well the 'simple' solution to his problem was to tell Andy how he felt and everything would be fine. It was not so 'simple'. Two days later he discovered Andy took a long-term UC assignment. He took it to mean Andy was ending things permanently. After all it is what he did in the past to end things with women. While Andy was gone he met Marlo. She was funny, smart, easy to get along with and 'simple'. They both understood and wanted 'emotional distance'. They entered into a 'perfect' relationship. When Andy returned he was still annoyed at her leaving. He threw his and Marlo's relationship in her face. It was a silent type of revenge. He wanted her to hurt. He wanted her to try to talk to him and leave messages. Turns out he read Andy wrong. She expected him to wait for her and when he didn't she accepted his and Marlo's relationship and walked away. Over the next few weeks he ignored her, he threw Marlo in her face and he was nasty towards her at work. He wasn't sure why...he...was living his perfect 'simple' life. Turns out 'simple' is not...it's not what he expected. All he and Marlo ever speak about is the weather and "How was your day?". "It was good. How was yours?"."It was good." Lately he wanted more than a meaningless-conversation-bed-buddy. He craved a complicated-meaningful-life-partner. He knew he was in trouble._

Today started out well for Sam Swarek. He arrived at work early and completed some way overdue paperwork. Afterwards he located a solid lead to a cold case he was asked to review. Things were going great until a missing child report came through.

Andy stood in front of her open locker staring blankly. Today was, without a doubt, one of the most gruelling days of her life. It was on par with the day her mother walked out on her and her dad. Yet the day started out perfect.

_Buzz, Buzz!_

_"Hello?" Andy said into the intercom for her condo._

_"Hey! It's me! Buzz me up!" _

_"Nick?"_

_"Yea! Let me in...I have treats!"_

_Andy smiled to herself as she pressed the button to let Nick into the building._

_Knock, Knock!_

_"Hi! I have two café mocha's with whip cream and chocolate sprinkles on top." Nick said smiling as he handed Andy a cup._

_"Nick, it's 9:30 in the morning on our day off. I'm not even dressed yet! I wasn't expecting you until 3:00 this afternoon."_

_"Yea well...I woke at 6:30 this morning and couldn't get back to sleep. I guess my system is programmed for that time in the morning. I finally got up, showered, dressed and decided to surprise you with 'treats'."_

_Andy shook her head smiling as she raised her cup of coffee to her mouth._

_"Oh!...And I have...an apple for us to share." Nick said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a 'Red Delicious' apple. "I know you like apples Andy. You use to buy them all the time when we were undercover."_

_"I do!" Andy replied as she reached for the apple._

_"You still watching Christian for a couple of hours later?"_

_"As far as I know...Chris said he and Denise would drop him off around 11:00 this morning and pick him up a couple of hours later. They're in the city to sort out some banking. I guess Chris is having his accounts transferred to a branch in Timmins." Andy replied just before she took a bite of the apple and handed it back to Nick._

The day started off so well.

Two hours later Nick and Andy were at a local park playing with Christian. Together they played in the sandbox, slid down the slide, climbed the jungle Jim and swung on the swings. Forty minutes later they were all ready to leave the park and return to Andy's condo for some lunch. Nick went to collect Christians pail and shovel from the sandbox while Andy walked Christian over to Nick's vehicle and carefully buckled him into the built-in car seat in the back seat. I minute later she locked the car, took a few steps and met Nick as he approached with Christians toys. In the next few seconds the day went from great to really bad. They heard the sound of glass shattering, a child crying and then...Nick's window was broken and Christian was gone.

The next few hours were a whirlwind of chaos. Andy was yelled at by Chris and Denise, questioned repeatedly, separated from Nick at one point and...

Sam was the lead detective on the case. In the park he was professional but, back at the station he separated her from Nick. Until then, Nick repeatedly protected her against Chris and Denise's personal attacks, the sarcastic remarks from some of the officers at the crime scene and from her own over thinking. He assured her different times that Christian would be found safe and comforted her when she felt overwhelmed and was about to panic. Once they were at the station though Sam sent Nash to question Nick while he escorted Andy over to his desk. His questions started out professional but they quickly turned personal. It was obvious he wanted to know why she and Nick were out together on their day off. He became sarcastic and nasty at one point until she asked him why he was making things personal. He stuck to the facts after her comment but...she was...she needed Nick's emotional support and he wasn't there at the moment.

Christian was located a few hours later. Thanks to good police work and the photos and videos from a couple of moms on the playground. They unintentionally captured Christians kidnapping on their cell phones while taking pictures of their own children at the park. The images provided an image of Christian's kidnapper as well as proving Nick and Andy's story. Turned out the perpetrator was more than an acquaintance of Denise. Based on Christian's birth date the guy was positive Christian was his son. His repeated requests, over the last few months, for Denise to allow him access to Christian fell on deaf ears. The guy just wanted to get to know Christian. He reached his breaking point and when he saw an opportunity to have Christian to himself he acted.

Andy slowly did up the zipper on her coat and quietly walked out of the women's locker room. Nick said he would meet her just outside the doors and they would take a cab back to her condo.

"Andy!" Sam said as she exited the locker room.

"Sam...please..." She replied as she tried to walk around him.

"Look...Andy...just wait a moment." He said as he moved to block her.

"Sam..."

"Look...I just want to say I'm sorry for earlier. I was trying to solve the case. You know what it's like when you interview a witness."

Andy stood and gently shook her head. "No...you weren't interviewing me as a witness...you...you...it was...I was a suspect."

"Look...I'm sorry. The important thing is we solved the case."

"What do...what do you want Sam?"

"I was going to offer you a ride home. I mean were friends and it's been a long day."

Andy shook her head gently as a tear trickled down her face. "We're not friends Sam. I don't know what we are anymore."

"Andy..."

"A friend doesn't treat a friend the way you have treated me since I came back from undercover. I don't...I don't think...we're not friends. I'm sorry."

"Look! Can I give you a ride home and we can talk."

Andy stood perfectly still as more tears began to trickle down her cheeks.

Nick walked around the corner and saw Sam speaking to a very visibly upset Andy.

"Collins!" Shaw said as he ran up to Nick.

"Here...take the keys to my car. Your truck's impounded for the next couple of days being combed for evidence. Take the keys to my car. You can have it for the next two or three days. Go out to the parking lot and wait beside my car. I'll go over there and get Andy and bring her out in a couple of minutes."

Nick glanced over to where Sam was talking to Andy. She needed help.

"Collins! Let me handle this situation. It has been a long emotional day and you don't want to get into it with Sam. Andy has dealt with enough today. She doesn't need you and Sam at each other. Go and wait by my car."

Nick looked over at Andy and nodded to Oliver before turning and walking towards the front doors.

A few moments later Oliver escorted Andy over to where Nick was waiting. Together Oliver and Nick helped Andy into the car.

"Take her home Collins and don't leave her alone. I know Andy and she will need to talk this out."

'I will...are you sure you don't need your car for a couple of days?"

"I'm sure...I phoned Celery. She is going to swing around and pick me up tonight. We're going out for dinner. My new apartment is only a twenty-minute bus ride from work. I'll be fine for a couple of days."

"Thank-you!"

"Your welcome...now go!"

**Back inside the station**

"Chris! Wait up!" Dov called.

"Where are you going? Did you see Christian?"

"No! He's not my son. Everything was a lie."

"Whoa! WHAT? The room over there...get in there NOW!"

"Look Dov..."

"NO! No look Dov. In there NOW!"

"Do you remember the day you found out about Christian?" Do you remember what I said to you?"

"Um..."

"I told you to get a paternity test. You told me you didn't care. If it didn't matter back then why does it matter today?"

"Denise lied...she set me up!"

"Okay fine Denise did whatever...this is not about Denise. This is about Christian. He is the same boy he was yesterday. That has not changed. You are the same person you were yesterday. That has not changed. Circumstances may have changed but you and Christian have not. This other guy. If he is Christian's dad then maybe he should meet Christian and get to know him but, in Christian's mind he is not his dad. You are his dad. The earliest memories we have are from the time we are 3 or 4 years old. Christian is 3 years old. He may remember you for the rest of his life. Do you want him to remember you...the guy he called 'Dad' for the first time as the guy who walked out of his life?"

"No...no I don't."

"Good...then get in there and see your son. Take him back to the hotel tonight and look after him like you have been for the last year. I'm going to arrange for you to speak to a lawyer tomorrow and I'm going to find a child advocate lawyer to represent Christian and his best interests."

Chris nodded.

"Now go see Christian."

"I need to apologize to Andy."

"Yea!"

"He was going to take Christian at some point. Andy just happened to get caught up in the mess."

"Yes, she did...go see her tomorrow."

**At Andy's apartment**

Nick opened the door to Andy's condo.

A few moments later he was sitting on the sofa with Andy on his lap sobbing on his shoulder.

He held her and rubbed his hand up and down her back. He knew Andy and he knew she needed to this cry to let everything out. He watched her throughout the day and saw her fight back tears at least a half-dozen times. Twenty minutes later she calmed down and they talked. Later he left her on the sofa and went to prepare them something to eat.

"Okay! Here you go...one Nick Collins special tomato omelette." Nick said as he placed a plate on Andy's lap.

"Nick...I..."

"Andy you need to eat. We agreed earlier you need to eat."

"I know...it's just I'm not..."

"Andy it was not your fault. It was not my fault. The guy was going to take Christian at some point. It's a huge mess that Denise created. Ultimately it is her fault." Nick said as he sat down beside her on the sofa with his own plate.

Andy nodded as she took a small bite of her omelette.

"How is it?"

"Delicious as always."

"Wait till you see what I have for dessert!" He replied with a small smile.

**Back at the station**

Sam sat at his desk contemplating the day's events.

Marlo asked him to go home with her but; he declined telling her he needed to work late.

"_How did I make such a mess of everything with Andy? Why did she take the UC assignment if it wasn't to end our relationship?" Sam thought as he stood up and put on his jacket._

**Andy's apartment**

"Keep your eyes closed till I tell you to open them." Nick said.

"They're closed."

"No cheating!"

"They're closed!"

"Okay...open your eyes." Nick said as he handed Andy a dessert bowl and a glass of Brandy.

"Wow...Nick..."

"Okay! First you take a sip of the warm Brandy from your glass."

"Then you take a bite from your dessert."

"Nick...this is amazing. I mean I knew you were good with food...but...why didn't we ever have this while UC?"

"I invented it tonight."

"What?"

"Honest! I looked in your fridge and came up with the idea."

'Really!

"Yes, really...you had vanilla ice-cream, caramel sauce, apples and...I started by placing a couple of scoops of vanilla ice-cream into two bowls, covered the ice-cream with warm caramel sauce, topped with thin slices of a 'Granny Smith' apple and sprinkled the top with a dash of cinnamon sugar. Perfect comfort food."

"Thank-you!" Andy whispered as Nick leaned over and placed a small kiss on her lips.

"Would you like me to stay with you tonight?" He whispered.

"Nick...I..."

"I just want to stay Andy...I'm not expecting..."

"Stay!" Andy whispered as Nick kissed her once more.

It was the second time today they shared an apple. The original 'proverbial fruit' shared by another couple from a time when the earth was new, fresh and virgin.

The question now is, "Who is the serpent?"

Perhaps one of the two sets of eyes gazing up at Andy's window from the street below!?

**Would you like to read a forth chapter?**


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